Thursday, 7 December 2017

ADVENT GIFT - Good Luck

Human beings are superstitious souls and there are many strange beliefs around luck. What is really interesting is that different countries disagree on which numbers are lucky and which are unlucky. Luck may be what you make it, but people around the world like to get a little help.

The Number 1

Lucky: The first, best or top of the class.

The Number 2

Lucky because it represents togetherness, a couple or pair. Balance and Peace.

The Number 3:

Lucky: China, Sweden, Italy, USA
The number is lucky in China because of many Chinese sayings. In Sweden, they say: “All good things come in threes”. In Italy, three represents a triangle, the symbol of strength and balance. There is also the Christian Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost and “3 wishes”. The number for joy, communication and artists.

Unlucky: Vietnam, Japan
There’s a superstition that if a photo is taken with 3 people, the middle person will die

The Number 4:

Lucky: Germany
The number on the lucky “four-leaf clover”. The number for trust, strength and discipline.

Unlucky: China, Japan, Vietnam, or any countries with a Chinese or Japanese influence
In China and Japan the word for the number four is similar to that of the Chinese word for death.

The Number 5

Lucky: Five Golden Rings. Wealth. The number for freedom, courage and energy.

The number 6

Lucky: The lucky number for healers, teachers and loyalty.

The Number 7:

Lucky: UK, USA, France, The Netherlands, or any country that is largely westernized. The number for wisdom, knowledge and intellect. God made the universe in seven days, plus the seven wonders and seven planets of the ancient world. Seventh heaven..

Unlucky: China, Vietnam,Thailand, or any country with Chinese influence.
July, or “the seventh month” is the month of the ghost where people must leave food out for the dead or they will be haunted.

The Number 8:

Lucky: China, Japan, Vietnam, or any countries with a Chinese or Japanese influence
The number 8 in Chinese and Japanese sounds similar to the words for prosper and make money. Good for business, control and power.

Unlucky: India
This is the number of Sani the relationship and peace destroyer.

The Number 9:

Lucky: China, Norway
In China nine is the number for the emperor. Norwegian mythology contains many nines, regarding it as a sacred number. “A cat has nine lives”. The number for compassion and generosity.

Japan - The word for nine is similar to “suffering”.

The number 10
Lucky: Often the number of a perfect score.

The Number 11
Lucky: A master number. The number for Jesus in Numerology, also, 22 and 33

The Number 13:

Lucky: Italy
The number represents St.Anthony, the patron saint of finding lost things or people. There is also a bakers dozen of 13, possibly to bring good luck or to ward off evil.

Unlucky: USA, UK, Sweden, Norway and any country with a strong western influence.
Many bad connections, Friday 13th, the Mayan Calendar, Judas at the Last Supper and the Knights Templar.

The Number 15:

Lucky: Spain, Mexico, any Spanish speaking countries
Often considered lucky, possibly related to year of coming of age.

The Number 39

Lucky: USA, UK, France, or any Catholic country
The number of Divine guidance as echoed in the book “The 39 Steps”

Unlucky: Afghanistan
In Afghanistan culture, the number 39 is a curse. The world roughly sounds similar to “dead cow” which would be a catastrophe to a peasant family.

The Number 666:

Lucky: In China, 666 can mean “Everything goes smoothly”.

Unlucky: USA, UK, Brazil, or any Christian country
In the bible, 666 is the Number of the Devil.

Special cases :

In Russia the whole number system represents good or bad luck.
Unlucky: Even numbers of flowers are only to brought to a funeral and should not given to a person.
Lucky: Odd Numbers, because it is good to give flowers in odd numbers. Still used by florists today.

Do you know any others?

And your Advent Gift ....
The luckiest and unluckiest lottery numbers compiled from 1,500 draws around the world over a year. If you win, please remember me ;)

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I create colourful Acrylic paintings exploring nature and it's
interaction with energy and light. Through my work I endeavor to show
how closely linked nature, humanity and this planet are. I hope my
work inspires the viewer to cherish and protect the beauty that
surrounds us.